Civil Service Commission | Management Test Battery

Management Test Battery

The Management Test Battery is designed to measure a candidate's ability to effectively handle a variety of management-level situations. Typically, the MTB is the only selection instrument administered for managerial titles included in this program, however, if candidates for a particular managerial announcement have not been adequately tested/evaluated in prior positions with respect to technical, non-supervisory knowledge and abilities, a second test component also may be administered measuring these characteristics.

The Management Test Battery involves a work simulation. Candidates are asked to assume the role of a manager in a fictitious organization. No special knowledge regarding the work of this fictitious organization is required in advance. Candidates are provided background information regarding the organization, along with memoranda and letters, to review. Candidates will have up to 30 minutes to review this material. After reviewing these materials, candidates then answer multiple-choice test questions on a computer. The test questions will concern issues, tasks, situations, etc., associated with the candidate's role as a manager in the fictitious organization. All background material remains with the candidate during the test administration for reference purposes.

This examination is administered via computer. Most candidates find the process of taking the test on the computer relatively simple. Candidates do not use the computer keyboard when they take the test; rather, they simply use the computer’s mouse to point to their answer selection on the computer screen. Instructions regarding how to take the test on the computer are provided at the time of the test's administration. Please be aware that candidates may not "skip" over questions presented on the computer. That is, they must choose an answer to each question before they can move forward to answer another question. Likewise, candidates may not go backwards to change an answer they have already given. The total number of questions is 80, with a maximum time limit of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Candidates receive their test scores when they finish the examination.

Since this exam attempts to simulate actual situations that may occur on the job, it’s possible a question may contain more than one correct answer. That is, as in life, there may be more than one way to appropriately address a situation, but some ways are clearly better than others. To represent this in a testing situation, we use differentially weighted options for each question. Therefore, an answer, or option associated with a given question may carry a test weight from 0.2 through 1.00 depending how well it addresses the situation presented in the question. Your final score will equal the sum of your scores on each question. The maximum possible score on this examination is 80.

The Management Test Battery has been extensively reviewed by managers from various occupations and agencies and the test content has been determined to accurately assess the major competencies that are common to a wide variety of management positions. Since this examination will be used repeatedly in the future, candidates will not be permitted to review its content (i.e., the test questions and answers) following test administration.

Any eligible list that is generated as a result of the Management Test Battery has a list duration of two years. During this two-year period, a candidate's test score is banked for possible future use. That is, should a candidate apply and be eligible for another announcement involving another managerial title sometime within this two-year period, their Management Test Battery score will be applied to that announcement. Candidates may, however, retake the Management Test Battery after one year in response to a future announcement for which they are eligible.

Below is a list of some of the major competency areas associated with this test. Through research and job analyses conducted throughout the state, these competency areas have been found to be important for a manager to succeed in a variety of public sector positions. The test has been designed to assess these areas.

Problem Solving

Identifies and analyzes problems; uses sound reasoning to arrive at conclusions; finds alternative solutions in order to make organizational improvements; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes.

Decision-Making

Makes sound and well-informed decisions; perceives the impact and implications of decisions; commits to action, even in uncertain situations, in order to accomplish organizational goals; causes change.

Human Resource Management

Empowers people by sharing power and authority; develops lower levels of leadership by pushing authority downward and outward throughout the organization; shares rewards for achievement with employees; ensures that staff are appropriately selected, utilized, appraised, and developed and that they are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

Communication

Expresses facts and ideas both orally and in writing in a succinct, clear, accurate, thorough, organized and effective manner. Reviews, proofreads and edits written work constructively. Presents facts to individuals or groups effectively; makes clear and convincing oral presentations; listens to others; facilitates an open exchange of ideas.

Team Building

Manages group processes; encourages and facilitates cooperation, pride, trust, and group identity; fosters commitment and team spirit; works with others to achieve goals.

Conflict Management

Manages and resolves conflicts, confrontations, and disagreements in a positive and constructive manner to minimize negative personal impact.

Process Improvement

Develops new insights into situations and associated processes. Applies innovative solutions to make organizational improvements; designs and implements new or cutting-edge programs/processes.

Hopefully, the above information gives you an idea about the test content, as well as, the policies and procedures associated with the Management Test Battery.

Footer

What is this view?

You are using a dynamic assistive view of the State of New Jersey Civil Service Commission site. It has all the same data and features of the original site but formatted just with assistive users in mind. It has links and content reorganized to aid assistive users and has controls at the bottom under assistive options that allow you to control key aspects such as font size and contrast colors etc.This is not a separate text-only site, it's a dynamic view that uses unique technology from Usablenet to give assistive users better, more accessible access to the same content and features as all users that use the graphic view of the site.